1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for the synchronized start-up of a numerical control.
2. Description of the Related Art
EP 0 524 344 B1 discloses a configurable machine tool control having several task-oriented units, for example a numeric and a memory-programmable control element, an operating unit and a communications area with a network interface. Furthermore, at least one functional object is provided, which is implemented by software or by software and hardware, and is capable of performing a function. This functional object is subdivided into a procedural element, and a communications element and possibly an operating element. In addition, at least one object manager is provided, which manages at least two functional objects, and in particular synchronizes their information exchange. This control structure is implemented by at least one data processing system, which processes the data from the functional objects and the object manager and which itself is designed as a task-oriented unit.
No systematic process for starting a control implemented as a task-oriented unit is known from EP 0 524 344 B1. Note that EP 0 524 344 B1 corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,844,804, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
An object-oriented control for machine tools is known from EP 0 657 043 B1, wherein a number of objects is formed from classes of objects. Starting from the structure of a control disclosed in EP 0 524 344 B1, the definitely required classes of objects and the objects which are needed for implementing a conventional functionality of a control, are disclosed in EP 0 657 043 B1. Among these are, for example, classes of objects for types of processing, geometry, kinematics and technological data, as well as types of control data and an object class of sequencing control. Any arbitrary number of objects can be formed from each class of objects, each of which contains its own data range, a messenger mechanism for communications with other objects and a procedural part for executing methods for processing, kinematics, geometry or technology. The user input is interpreted by the sequence control and leads to the activation of the selected objects. The selected objects communicate with each other and by this network-like linkage form a functional unit of the control which is capable of running.
No systematic process for starting a numerical control is known from EP 0 657 043 B1, either. Note that EP 0 657 043 B1 corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,506,787, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
A CNC control system is known from EP 0 717 866 B1, which contains an object-oriented program in which objects exchange object-oriented information. The objects are divided into classes in the object-oriented program, for example a process class, which contains objects for work processes such as drilling, thread-cutting, reaming etch., which are performed by machine components. Here, a class always contains similar objects, i.e. objects which agree in their basic structure. Based on the uniform basic structure of the objects in a class there is the possibility that, in the course of creating new objects, selected properties of the respective class are passed on to the new object. For example, a drilling object has depth and a diameter, which can be inherited by another object of the process class, for example a thread-cutting object which also has depth and a diameter. Another object class has machine components, such as a spindle, shafts, a turntable, etc., for example. Moreover, object classes are provided for the kernel, with a motion and a logic controller as objects, for platform services, the operating system and the device drivers. During operation of the control it is necessary for messages to be exchanged between the individual objects. For example, in a drilling process a message regarding the number of revolutions of the drill is transmitted from the drill object to the object called spindle, furthermore messages regarding the position of the hole are transmitted to the objects of participating shafts, etc. Here, a standard interface is provided for the messages, so that they have a universal structure and can be designed independently of the involved objects. This standard interface for message exchanges between objects is implemented in connection with an object receiving or transmitting messages regarding the movement by a software kernel, which is intended to operate in real time and receives and transmits messages.
A method for a synchronized start-up of a numerical control is not disclosed in EP 0 717 866 B1. Note that EP 0 717 866 B1 corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,453,933, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
A system of several object manager components is described in DE 195 20 747 A1, on which object managers have been locally installed, which are to be initialized in several phases. Initialization takes place in several steps, wherein a new step is only started after the preceding step has been executed.
A method for a synchronized start-up of a numerical control with hierarchically arranged objects is not disclosed in DE 195 20 747 A1. Instead, DE 195 20 747 A1 describes a system of several object manager components, wherein object managers, which are to be initialized in several phases, are locally installed. Initialization takes place in several steps, wherein a new step is only permitted after the previous step has been executed.